横财

橫財
héngcái
noun #25,253

Meanings

  1. 1 windfall
  2. 2 easy money
  3. 3 ill-gotten gains
  4. 4 undeserved fortune

Examples

Tā kào dǔbó fā le yī bǐ héngcái, què hěn kuài jiù huīhuò dàijìn.
He made a windfall through gambling but quickly squandered it all.
Tiānshàng bù huì diào xiànbǐng, nǎlǐ lái de héngcái?
There's no such thing as a free lunch — where does this windfall come from?

Tips

usage
横财 often implies money obtained through illegitimate or unexpected means. It carries a slightly negative connotation in most contexts, suggesting the money wasn't earned through honest work. Compare 意外 (unexpected fortune) which is more neutral.

Stroke Order

héng
cái